


Cabin Fever

by stayliving



Category: Glee
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-11-13
Updated: 2012-11-13
Packaged: 2017-11-18 14:32:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/562092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stayliving/pseuds/stayliving
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sebastian and Kurt first met at a summer camp when they were both twelve. Even though Sebastian made Kurt's first month at Camp Blue Skies hell, they soon became best friends. Now, at eighteen and counselors, there's just a summer left for them to share before Sebastian moves to Paris and Kurt moves to New York with Rachel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cabin Fever

**Author's Note:**

> This is kind of part one of the prologue, and I'm not gonna lie, writing this chapter made me sorta hate Sebastian, but I promise he redeems himself later on.

The first summer Kurt and Sebastian ever spent together was when they were both twelve. At the time, Kurt had wanted to do just about anything other than spend his entire summer at some camp in Cleveland where he wouldn’t know anyone, but Burt had insisted that he should at least gave it a try, telling him that if he really hated it as badly as he thought he was going to, he would come and pick him up, no questions asked.  
  
After a little bit more persuasion from Burt, Kurt had finally agreed to it. He had absolutely no idea what he was about to get himself into, but even at such a young age, he hadn’t wanted to let his father down. Instead, he had known that he had to prove it to both himself and Burt that this was something he could do, so even with the promise of his dad coming to pick him up if he found himself not enjoying it, he knew he wouldn’t make that call.  
  
So at the end of May when he’d found himself sitting in the backseat as his dad drove the three and some odd hours to Cleveland with a month’s supply of clothes packed away in the trunk, he had found himself biting back the tears, trying his best not to cry in front of Burt. When he was younger, Kurt had had a bad enough time trying to spend the night over at one of his friend’s house, especially after his mom had died a few years ago. He honestly had no idea how, exactly, he planned on making it at some camp for a whole summer. With each and every mile put between him and Lima, his heart had started beating that much faster, his stomach twisting in knots.  
  
That night, after the introductions had been made and the goodbyes had been said, Kurt had barely touched his dinner. Granted, it could’ve been because it looked like a pile of grey mush that he, honestly, didn’t even want to know what it was made from. Kurt had already started to feel the nervousness, anxiety, and homesickness kicking in, and he’d mentally berated himself for not even making it a single day yet.  
  
Feeling completely alone in a brand new place was a new experience to Kurt. Sure, it wasn’t like he had very many friends back in Lima when he’d been twelve to begin with, but it was his home. His family and Mercedes and Tina were there, while he had absolutely no one at this stupid camp he hadn’t even wanted to go to in the first place. So when a taller boy with brown hair and bright green eyes had approached him after dinner with a bright smile, he hadn’t even thought twice about accepting his friendship. Looking back now, however, he could see the mischievous glint the boy, who had introduced himself as Sebastian Smythe, son of an attorney, held in his eyes. Looking back now, Kurt could realize just how stupid and ridiculous he had been to trust him right off the bat. But when you’re twelve and you already feel like you’re drowning, you’ll reach out for anyone who’s offering you a hand to pull you out of the water. Except with Sebastian, it had been the complete opposite.  
  
That night, after the eight other boys aged from ten to sixteen and two counselors had already fallen asleep, Kurt had lain awake, staring up at the bottom of the top bunk above him. Sebastian had been totally silent as he had snuck his way over to Kurt’s bunk, so naturally, he’d jumped a mile and had to stifle a scream when he’d felt Sebastian’s hand touch his shoulder.  
  
“Shh!” The other boy had hissed and pressed a finger to his own lips before gesturing at Kurt to follow him. A part of Kurt had known that this was only going to lead to trouble, but the bigger part, the part that had been looking for some sort of comfort in the form of a friend, hadn’t asked questions as he followed Sebastian outside, wearing nothing but a white undershirt, a pair of pajama pants, and a pair of flip flops.  
  
Six years later and he could still remember the way the moon had been shining brightly, lighting up the path away from the cabins and the two boys had been completely silent as they walked along. Kurt could still remember the cold chill to the air, despite it being late spring, and the smell of the fresh mown grass beneath his feet. Kurt’s anxiety had spiked as thoughts about Sebastian leading him out to the middle of the woods and leaving him there had begun to surface in his mind, but before he could let the ideas fully form, they’d stopped in a little clearing, the cabins still visible in the background.  
  
Kurt had chewed on his bottom lip as the taller boy stood in front of him, a smirk having formed on his face. It was a trademark that Kurt would grow to both hate and adore in the following years, but at the time, he hadn’t been able to shake off the creepy feeling it gave him.  
  
“So. This is your first year here, huh?”  
  
Without having been able to do much more than nod his head, Sebastian kept on.  
  
“Well, this is my second year here.” There had been an air of arrogance in his voice, his smirk not wavering. “And, as a second year camper, it’s kinda my job to perform your initiation.”  
  
Kurt’s stomach had given a nervous lurch, and thoughts about how he was about to get killed floated through the back of his mind. This was basically the plot to every single horror movie he’d ever seen up to that point, and he had found himself looking around at his surroundings in order to do a quick survey of all the weapons he had within arm’s reach. A few sticks and a couple of small rocks that wouldn’t do much damage had littered the ground, so basically, he’d figured, he was screwed.  
  
Obviously having been waiting for him to speak, Sebastian rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet, his signature smirk giving way to a smile that had Kurt saying a small prayer to a God he hadn’t even believed in at twelve years old.  
  
“I-Initiation?” Kurt’s small, high-pitched voice had stammered, giving away just how nervous and scared he had actually been.  
  
“It’s totally not the end of the world. It’s nothing. Honestly. We all have to go through it, and just be glad that you have me as a mentor instead of Puck.”  
  
Tentatively, Sebastian had stepped towards Kurt and placed a hand on his shoulder before turning him around and pointing towards the lake that was a little ways away from where they had been standing.  
  
If Kurt had known then just how important that lake was going to be come the next few years, he might have felt something other than complete dread at the black, still expanse that had spread out as far as he could see in the dark.  
  
“Your mission, if you choose to accept it,” Sebastian’s voice had been right next to his ear and it’d reminded Kurt of an annoying mosquito that he wanted nothing more than to swat away, “is to strip off all your clothes and go for a nice little midnight swim.”  
  
That hadn’t seemed as bad as what Kurt was expecting, so he had looked back over his shoulder at the other boy, “That’s it? What’s the catch?”  
  
Sebastian had just shrugged and shaken his head, “No catch. Of course, there might be snakes and I’ve even heard rumors about there being a shark---“  
  
“Don’t be stupid,” Kurt had interrupted him, crossing his arms over his chest. “Sharks don’t live in lakes. Everyone knows that. Duh.”  
  
“Okay, okay. Whatever. Don’t believe me. But don’t come crying to me when your leg gets bitten off.”  
  
Externally, Kurt had only scowled and rolled his eyes at his words, but internally, he had begun to second-guess everything he’d ever learned about sharks. The thought of snakes hadn’t even crossed his mind until much later, after he had already curled back up in his bed with tears streaming steadily down his cheeks.  
  
“And if I choose to not accept my challenge?”  
  
“Well… You’ll have to pay the consequences. And Puck doesn’t take his consequences lightly.”  
  
Kurt hadn’t even met this Puck person yet, but he had already begun to grow wary of him. Honestly, all Puck had sounded like was some bully, and Kurt had had enough practice with them back in Lima to where he had known that he would have been able to stand his ground if he had needed to.  
  
Still, skinny dipping had seemed easy enough.  
  
“What about all the other first time campers?” The thought had been at the back of his mind since the beginning of the conversation, but it had just then occurred to him that they were completely alone outside.  
  
“Well, obviously, if we initiate everyone at once, the leaders will hear us.” Sebastian’s voice lilted as though he’d been thinking that Kurt was one of the dumbest people he’d ever met, and it had made Kurt feel even worse than before.  
  
“Alright, fine, whatever.” As if Kurt had ever had a choice; something that would define their relationship through the next upcoming years.  
  
Without even thinking twice about it, Kurt had started walking over to the edge of the lake. Once his feet had almost hit the water, he slid his flip-flops off his feet and tossed them back to where Sebastian was standing. Next, his shirt had come flying.  
  
“Um. Can you not look?” He had asked shyly, his head ducking down in an attempt to hide his blush.  
  
Snorting, Sebastian had turned around, but not before he had sent Kurt an over the top eye roll.  
  
Once Kurt had pulled his underwear and pajama pants off and thrown them back out of the way of the water, he had began to walk out into the lake. Once he had been submerged up to his knees, he had almost wanted to stop and turn around and take whatever consequences Puck had been dealing out. The water had stung his skin it was so cold, seeing as how it had only been the very ending of May. Burt hadn’t even opened their pool yet because it still had been too cold to even think about swimming.  
  
“Ho-How far do I have t-to go out?” His teeth had already started to chatter and goose bumps had begun to burst out across his skin.  
  
“Oh, just until you’re chest deep. I can run and get you a towel for when you come back out?”  
  
Kurt had taken a few more slow steps out into the lake, and in a moment of sheer stupidity, he dove beneath the water’s surface and kicked his way out a little bit further. Once he had reached a spot where he thought he would’ve been able to still touch the bottom, he’d resurfaced and glanced around, his teeth now chattering violently.  
  
Kurt had turned around to glance back at the shore and stood there awkwardly, his whole body shaking, for a few moments. Three minutes later, and he hadn’t been sure of how much more of the cold water his body would be able to handle, and he’d made his way back up to the shore, figuring that if Sebastian hadn’t brought him a towel back yet, he’d just slide into his pajamas and go get his own.  
  
Except, when he had finally made it back to where he had thrown his clothes just a few short minutes ago, they had disappeared.  
  
Thinking that he had swum out to a different side of the lake than from where he had begun, he looked around frantically, hoping beyond hope that he would be able to find where he had tossed his clothes off.  
  
A couple of minutes later, with his knees starting to wobble because of how cold he had been, it had dawned on him.  
  
This had all been a trick.  
Sebastian had taken his clothes with him.  
There was no towel.  
Sebastian wasn’t coming back.  
  
Begrudgingly, Kurt had come to his senses and started making his way back to the cabin, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth in order to keep himself from crying. Instead of taking the path they had just walked along, however, Kurt had tried his best to stay within the shadows of the nearby trees, hoping to anyone who'd actually listen to him that no one would be awake and come outside and see him.  
  
It had taken him nearly twice as long to get back to his cabin as it had taken to get to the lake, and he was pretty sure he had gotten turned around at one point and had backtracked on himself, but he finally made it back. He’d still been a soaking wet, freezing mess, but the victory of having made it back without being spotted had kind of outweighed everything else; he had to focus on the small victories or he knew he’d have been on the verge of a panic attack, something that wasn’t that uncommon since he’d lost his mom.  
  
Once he had made it back inside, he hadn't even bothered giving Sebastian's laughing shadow a second glance to give him the satisfaction of knowing that Kurt had tear-stained, blotchy cheeks. At the moment, all he had wanted to do was find his clothes and get back under his blankets because he felt like he had been chilled down to the core.  
  
It had taken him forever to get warm again after he was snuggled up, now fully clothed, under his blankets. The tears had been falling freely at this point, and he had hid them by pressing his face down into the pillow to try to muffle his sobs. It had worked, for the most part, because at least he hadn’t woken anyone else in his cabin up. Kurt hadn’t known exactly what he would’ve told someone if they had woken up and caught him. The voice in the back of his head had been screaming at him to call Burt and have him come pick him up, but he had figured that since it was just the first night, he’d at least wait to see if things would get better after a week or two.  
  
After he had woken up the next morning, the feeling of sheer, absolute hatred for the other boy had washed over him like a wave, and he had to sit on his hands in order to keep himself from punching Sebastian right in his stupid, smirking face when he’d sat across from him at breakfast


End file.
